france

Rental Laws in France

An overview of the rules and regulations for pet owners moving to France. Officially, landlords cannot forbid you from keeping pets, but the devil is in the detail.

Tayte Kelley

Mar 10, 2026 — 3 min read

J'adore mon chien!

Good news, landlords are legally not allowed to forbid pets! However, that doesn't prevent discriminating landlords from favouring people without pets.

Law 70-598 of 1970 allows tenants to keep pets, making clauses that ban pets entirely void. However, restricted dog breeds (see listed breeds) and certain exotic pets (e.g., tarantulas, scorpions, protected species like hedgehogs) can be prohibited.
- While a landlord cannot ban pets, local building, or copropriété, regulations must still be followed (e.g., leash rules in common areas)
- Note: owners of vacation rentals can legally refuse pets.
You are under no obligation to disclose that you have a pet before signing the lease.
- While you don't have to ask permission when signing a rental lease, it is often recommended to mention your pet to the landlord. Some tenants prefer to inform landlords only after signing to avoid discrimination as the market is relatively competitive.
- You are liable for any damages caused by your pet to the property or disturbances to neighbors.
Keeping or detaining an animal must not cause avoidable suffering or any adverse effect on its health.

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There is a maximum limit of nine dogs per household in France.

Neighbor Complaints

"troubles anormaux de voisinage"

Barking is generally considered an abnormal neighborhood disturbance and falls under the civil domain rather than the criminal one. The Civil Code, Article 1384 indicates in particular: "We are responsible not only for the damage of our actions but also for what is caused by the objects under our custody.
The Public Health Code also applies with the article R1336-5: "No particular noise can disturb the tranquility of the neighborhood, no matter if it's in a public or private place, whether it's caused by the person or by their animal. "
Noise from a pet can be considered a nuisance if it exceeds 5 decibels during the day or 3 decibels at night (9:30 p.m. – 7 a.m.).
If your pet has a persisting noise complaint, you may receive a letter by recorded delivery (lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception), be contacted by a conciliateur de justice (justice conciliator) at the local town hall which may lead to fines or police action if the situation demands it.

French Welfare Laws:

Dogs and cats must be microchipped or tattooed for identification.
Dogs, cats, and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies.
You cannot buy or sell puppies or kittens aged under eight weeks.
Dogs must be kept on a leash in public areas, and stay within 100 meters of owners when off leash.
Dogs must have at least one adult tooth in order to enter France.
You can bring up to five pets into France, and you must either travel together or arrive within five days of each other.
Cleaning up after your pet is mandatory; failure to do so can result in fines.
Ill-treatment of animals is prohibited. Attacks on animal welfare shall be punished by a fine and/or imprisonment.